Hay stack loader vehicle



July 31, 1956 H. ALBERTsoN HAY STACK LOADER VEHICLE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. l, 1954 July 3l, 1956 L. H. ALBERTsoN 2,756,882

HAY STACK LOADER VEHICLE Filed OCT.. l. 1954 y2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. YE H. LEZSO/V United States Patent 2,756,882 atented July 31, 11956 ICC 2,75'6;ssz- HAY STACK Lon-DER' VEHICLE LylHudsonAlbertson, Hcl, S: Dak. Application October 1,.1954,;S erialfNo;- 459,637l s claims.- (ci. 21a-451)" This invention -relates to :improvements in machineswfor loading andi unloading material I such ast7 hay vand thezlike, and more particularly to: a-.novelmachine'for loading, transporting, and unloading af: hay stack;

Theprimaryobjectof; the invention'is to provide'an elcient. and practical device ofA the. character indicated above, to be opera-tedfbyfa'tractor,l whereby ahay stack caribe. quickly and easily picked up. as-a.unit, carried to another location, and unloaded atl such other location.

Another` importantobject of the invention'is theprovision of a Adevice offthe characterfindicated. aboveA which comprisesmanual means whereby the loadingiforlc of 'the machine.. can be positioned in-lowered= position.- andy in elevated position; and winch* means, operated froma power. take-off of an associated. tractor, formoving,y a-hay stackonto and oil'the machine.

VA. .further important objectA of@ the. inventionis Y-toprovide-a deviceof, the character indicated above which is comparativelyl simple in construction,- and can-1 befmade inA a. rugged, serviceable, and attractive format- .relatively low cost.-

Other4 importantobjects and advantageous-features of therinventionwill beapparent from .the followingdescription andthe accompanying. drawingsf wherein, for purposes of illustrationionly, a specific" embodiment ofthe invention is set forth in detail.A

Figure 1 is a top plan view; v

Figure 2 is.a.leftthand side. elevation withetherv loading fork inloweredposition inifull linesfandin elevated p ostion in phantom .lines;.

Figures 3, 4 and. 5 are enlargedffragmentaryy vertical longitudinal sectionsv taken onrthelines 3-3,.4--4.and 5/-5'of .Figure l;

Figure 6 isl an enlargedfragmentary Verticallongitudn nalsection takerron the line 6-6 of: Figure.y 1;.

igure 7 is a fragmentary and. enlargedvfront-elevation vewedalong the lineT-T ofFigure 1; and.

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary.Y sidey elevation viewed Aalong the line 84-8 of Figure 1.

Referring in detail? to thev drawings, wherein-likenw mei-als designate lileparts throughout the severalviews, the" illustratedliay stack mover, generally designatedill), comprises an elongated rcctangular'at frameor platform 1'1 having a plurality of relatively, closely spacedparallel longitudinal members 12 located between longitudinal side members 13 and'14l.y A frontv hay stack stop member 15 extends'betwce'n thesidemembers 13`a'nd y14 and'is fixed tth'eir front ends yandto the'front ends of` the members 1723on'the uppersides of these members.

' The -sidemem'bers lilland'lll'tcrmlnate in free rear ends 16' and-'16', respectively, which are 'alignedv with the free rear `ends1'7'of the members l2.

A front cross brace Isis-spaced rearwardly from lthe f-ront cross member l5 andv is secured to the undersides ofth'efrnembers 125i y rear cross brace T60"v isy spaced" forwardly from' the fr'ee'rea'r ends off the* sidelirien'iliers 1:3 and` 1"4- and l'membersl'122- Wheel supporting framework is located between and forwardly'of the cross brace 20 andr comprises: similar dual wheel-sets- 2-1, v2'1" mountedinerectangular.:framesf 225 22 xedfto' the underside-sof member 12",? the frames'fZZ; 22 being connected by-'jaf'front transverse brace 231k an'd by crossed .diagonal braces24, 2'4. v

Fixed on the diagonal bracesy Z4, 24;.asshown iii-Fig.- ure 4 is' a hydraulic brake: masterI cylinder. 25,',having brake lines-26;.26 leading tothe dual wheel sets.

A. bracket27 isiixed. to the'eundersideof"an'adjacent frame member' 12; as shown-fin Figure 4,l andaleverfZB is pivoted at a point intermediate itsends, as indicated at 2.9, to the bracket 27: The lever'28 hasv onecendpivoted at 30 to the master cylinder piston rod 31; The'othe'r end. of; the leverv 28 isipivoted at 32- tothe rear end: of avlongitu'dinal brake applying'V rod`33 which extends for wardlyy alongl and. beyond'v the front end-:of` the frame "111 for connection to an operatingleverony anrassociat'ed tractor (not shown) to ybe controlled byl thedriverof-.the tractor. A brake releasing-.spring33- iszstretchedbetween the adjacent end of the. lever 28 and one-ofthe diagonal braces 24.

Protective hoods 34 secured to ythe top of theframe 11 cover the dual wheelsetsl, 2d;

The frame 11f-issupportedlataslght rearwarddecliningr angle relative to the ground 35-by thefdual wheel sets 21,v 21- and by aforwardwheelsuspensionfwhichfcomprises .a stationaryaxle 36-.yxed -to the undersides of the forwardl ends of.y longitudinal arms-37l whichare lxedV at their rearward ends tolthe underside of= the'front` cross brace 18,'- andare lixed aty intermediatepoints to the underside. of: a cross member 38,Y which i-n turnv is fixed tothe undersideof the front ends of the longitudinal frame members 12. y

Diagonalbraces. 39. extend: betweenthevcross brace 18 and the transverse memberl 40 which isy fixed: to the top ofV the axle. 36 and secured directly to the. undersides.l of arms 37',l as shown in Figure .6.

Upright front andfrear brackets 41 and 42-,respectively\, are secured on thetopsof arms.37, at theright of'center of the frame 11',.the rear bracket42being also secured to the cross. member 38,-as. indicated atK 43;. Awinch shaft 44 is journaled.. in the. brackets 41 and"42 and has a cable drum 45thereon between the brackets, on' which is wound acable 46. Thevshaftid'fhasfa coupling47 on its forward end for connectiontoa power take-off (not shown)- ofan. associated. tractor` (not shown).

Forwardly projectingsteering arms 48,'.48faretvertically pivoted at 49, 49 on theends of the axle.36.and.include stub axles 50, 50 onwliich are journaled. ground-engaging wheels 51, 51. f

The forward ends of thesteering. arms 48-are pivoted, as indicated. at 52, to the outer. endsof transverse.drag link 53, which is loosely connected, as indicated:.at.54, to the rearward end o fa sector gear 55.

The sector gear. is vertically pivoted,.as.. indicated at 56, upon an. elongated flat drawbari57 which .is pivoted, as indicated :n.584 to the underside of the horizontal arm 59 of an L-shaped bracket 60, which..hasan-.uprightiarm 61 secured to the. rear-side oftheframecross member 40, at 62.

Journaled across the drawbar 517n in front` of. thesector v gear '55l in brackets 63.is av worm shaft 64 havinga hand wheel 65 on" one end, and. a worm- 661meshedwiththe teeth 67 of the sector gear S5. The handfwheel 65:l is adapted to be manually turned to turn the Vwheels.5'1,.51 to steer the' device intol engagement witha hay stack to be loaded.

The drawbar 57 has a clevis 68 onlits'forward end traversed by a vertical couplingpin 69, arranged for connection to the! drawbar' of an. associated.. tractorl (not Pivoted on a transverse horizontal axis on the rear end of the frame 11 is the loading fork 70 which comprises laterally spaced longitudinal tines 7l paralleling the outer frame side members 13 and 14 and the longitudinal frame members 12.

LA forward cross member 74 secured to the bottom of the tines 71 is spaced forwardly from the rear ends ofthe tines. The rear ends of the tines are beveled on their undersides, as indicated at 75, to provide for flush engagement of the tines 71 with the ground 3S when in depressed position, as shown in Figure 2.

Journal eyes 76 are secured to the rear ends of the frame side members 13 and 14 and frame longitudinal members 12, and a loading fork shaft 77, secured to the forward ends of the tines 71 is journaled through the eyes 76 whereby the fork 70 is connected to the frame 1l to swing upwardly and downwardly out of the plane of the frame 1l.

Brackets 73 are secured to and depend from the rear end of two adjacent frame members 12, and journaled therein is a transverse fork operating shaft 79. The shaft 79 has at its middle a short vertical lever arm 80 and near its ends longer horizontal lever arms 81. The lever arms 81 are engaged under the forward fork cross member 74 and are secured thereto, as indicated at 82.

A longitudinal rod 83, positioned above the frame 11, is pivoted at its rearward end to the upper end of the lever arm 80, as indicated at 84, and has a clevis 85 on its forward end carrying a pulley 86, located just forward of the frame cross member 19.

Spaced forwardly of the pulley 86 is a transverse drum shaft 87 journaled in brackets 88 secured to the undersides of frame members 12, and the shaft 87 terminates outwardly of the frame side member 14 in a crank handle 89. A ratchet wheel 90 is fixed on the shaft S7 next to the crank handle 89, and a ratchet dog 91 is pivoted on the outer side of the frame side member 14 and is en gaged with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 9i).

In line with the pulley 86 is a clevis 92 carrying a pulley 93, the clevis 92 being secured to the frame cross member 18. A cable 94 has one end thereof secured to and wound around a drum 95 fixed on the shaft S7 in line with the pulleys S6 and 93. The cable 94 leads forwardly from the drum 95, is trained upwardly around the pulley 93 and led rearwardly from the pulley 93 and trained downwardly around the pulley 86 and secured to the frame 11. With this arrangement, manual rotation of the crank handle 89 in one direction elevates the loading fork 70, as indicated in phantom lines in Figure 2; and rotation of the crank handle 89 in the opposite direction, with the ratchet dog 91 disengaged from the ratchet wheel 90, permits the fork 70 to subside to its depressed position, as shown in full lines in Figure 2.

The above mentioned cable i6 has an intermediate portion thereof wound around the winch drum 4S and trained rearwardly around pulleys 96 and 97 secured to the forward corners of the frame 11. The flights 9d and 99 of the cable 46 extending rearwardly along thc outer sides of the frame side members 13 and 14, respectively, are trained around pulleys 1li@ and lill, respectively, which are mounted on the frame side members 13 and 14 near their rearward ends 16, and the rear ends of the flights 98 and 99 are secured to the ends of a transversely extending push bar 73 which rides freely upon the top of the frame 11, for pushing a hay stack rearwardly off the frame 11 when the winch drum 45' is operated in the appropriate direction, the bar 73 having first been placed in front of the hay stack, with the forli 70 in depressed position. The bar 73 placed behind a hay stack on the frame 1l can be pulled forwardly thereon by operating the winch 45 in the opposite direction with the bar 73 behind the hay stack. What is claimed is:

l. In a machine for loading, transporting, and unloading a hay stack relative to the ground, a llat horizontally 4 elongated frame having a front end and a rear end, fixed rear ground-engaging wheel means depending from said frame near its rear end, a front steerable ground-engaging wheel suspension including a tractor-engaging drawbar, a loading fork pivoted on and extending rearwardly beyond the rear end of said frame to swing on a horizontal transverse axis relative to said frame from a downwardly angulared depressed ground-engaging position to an upwardly inclined elevated position relative to the plane of said frame, powered stack moving means comprising a power winch on the front end of said frame including a cable drum and a coupling on the drum for connection to a power take-olf of an associated tractor, and winch cable means wound on said winch drum, said cable means including flights having rear ends, and a transverse stack pushing bar riding freely upon said frame and connected at its ends to the rear ends of the cable flights, and manual fork operating means comprising a transverse shaft journaled on a forward part of the machine frame, a drum fixed on the transverse shaft, a crank handle on one end of the transverse shaft, a ratchet wheel fixed on the transverse shaft, a ratchet dog pivoted on the frame and normally engaging the ratchet wheel, a fork operating shaft journaled transversely on the rear end of the frame, said fork operating shaft having an upright lever arm and a horizontal lever arm, said horizontal lever arm being connected to said loading fork, and cable and pulley means on said frame and associated with the transverse shaft drum and connected to said upright lever arm.

2. In a machine for loading, transporting, and unloading a hay stack relative to the ground, a ilat horizontally elongated frame having a front end and a rear end, iixed rear ground-engaging wheel means depending from said frame near its rear end, a front steerable ground-engaging wheel suspension including a tractor-engaging drawbar, a loading fork pivoted on and extending rearwardly beyond the rear end of said frame to swing on a horizontal transverse axis relative to said frame from a downwardly angulated depressed ground-engaging position to an upwardly inclined elevated position relative to the plane of said frame, means for operating said fork, powered stack moving means comprising a power winch on the front end of said frame including a cable drum and a coupling on the drum for connection to a power take-olf of an associated tractor, and winch cable means wound on said winch drum, said cable means including flights having rear ends, a transverse pusher bar riding freely upon said frame and connected at its ends to the rear ends of the cable flights, said rear ground-engaging wheel means comprising laterally spaced sets of wheels, hydraulic brakes associated with each wheel set, a hydraulic brake master cylinder mounted on the frame between the sets having brake lines severally connected to.

the brakes, said master cylinder having a piston, a lever pivoted intermediate its ends on the frame and pivotally connected at one end to said piston, retracting spring means acting between the frame and the other end of the lever, and an operating rod extending along the frame, said operating rod having a rear end pivoted to said other end of the lever and having a forward end reaching forwardly beyond the front end of the frame for operation from an associated tractor.

3. ln a machine for loading, transporting, and unloading a hay stack relative to the ground, a flat horizontally elongated frame having a front end and a rear end, fixed rear ground-engaging wheel means depending from said frame near its rear end, a front steerable ground-engaging wheel suspension including a tractor-engaging drawbar, a loading fork pivoted on and extending rearwardly beyond the rear end of said frame to swing on a horizontal transverse axis relative to said frame from a downwardly angulated depressed groundengaging position to an upwardly inclined elevated position relative to the plane of said frame, means for operating said fork, powered stack moving means comprising a power winch on the front end of said frame including a cable drum and a coupling on the drum for connection to a power take-olf of an associated tractor, and winch cable means wound on said winch drum, said cable means including flights having rear ends, a transverse push bar riding freely upon said frame and connected at its ends to the rear ends of the cable ights, said steerable wheel suspension comprising a transverse stationary axle, longitudinal arms projecting forwardly from the front end of the frame and secured to the frame, said arms having forward ends to which the axle is fixed, steering arms having rear ends pivoted on vertical axes to opposite ends of said axle, said steering arms having stub axles on which front ground-engaging Wheels are journaled, a drag line pivoted at opposite ends to said steering arms, said drawbar comprising a rear 15 2,411,183

member xed to said axle and a forward member pivoted to the rear member, a sector gear pivoted on said forward drawbar member, a worm shaft mounted on said forward member and meshed with said sector gear, means loosely connecting said sector gear with said drag link, and manual means for rotating the worm shaft to steer the front wheels.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,121,153 Konicek June 21, 1938 2,173,277 Jarmin et al. Sept. 19, 1939 2,316,702 McDaniel Apr. 13, 1943 Baldwin Nov. 19, 1946 

